WASHINGTON — GOP Reps. Doug Lamborn and Cory Gardner did not sign onto a letter [2]with the rest of the Colorado delegation urging Congress to work on “comprehensive, balanced deficit reduction package” to avoid the fiscal cliff.

The letter was sent to Senate and House leadership in August by Democratic Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet and Republican Reps. Scott Tipton and Mike Coffman and Democrat Reps. Diana DeGette, Jared Polis and Ed Perlmutter.

Back then, Congress wasn’t in town. They only met for a couple weeks between August and November.

But talk of coming to a grand bargain has reached fever pitch on the Hill now that we’re only a few weeks away from the “fiscal cliff.” The term refers to a blend of deadlines and policy changes that will happen at the end of the year without an act of Congress — including the end of Bush-era tax cuts for all income brackets, a decrease in payments for doctors serving Medicare patients, and a blunt $109 billion in cuts to domestic and military spending.

The rank and file members of Congress — including Colorado’s delegation — are mostly awaiting cues from their leaders GOP House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

The letter was circulated to show that Colorado wants compromise from its elected leaders, Udall staffers said.

Gardner’s spokeswoman Rachel George said in a statement that her boss did not sign the letter because “the House has already passed a budget that includes responsible reforms and spending cuts. The House has also acted to replace the arbitrary cuts to defense, which they did right before this letter was sent. It is the Senate’s turn to act, which means they need to actually pass a budget for the first time in over three years.”

Even if the Senate did pass a budget in the next 30 days it wouldn’t avert the so-called “cliff.” Bush tax cuts will expire and $109 billion in domestic and military spending cuts will kick in no matter what without an act of Congress.

Lamborn, through his spokeswoman, said he didn’t sign the letter because “(Speaker) John Boehner is already working hard to fix the fiscal mess. He doesn’t need to be told to do something he is already doing.”